May is Mental Health Awareness Month and many services are available locally

Posted 18 May 2026 at 2:13 pm

Press Release, Orleans County Department of Mental Health

ALBION – The month of May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month and the Orleans County Department of Mental Health is taking the opportunity to work with their local, regional and national partners to promote the many mental services available to residents.

“It is important that we are always talking about mental health and the services and supports available, as it is an effort to reduce stigma and reinforce the importance of reaching out for help for anyone who is experiencing a mental health challenge or are in emotional distress,” said Danielle Figura, Director of Orleans County Mental Health & Community Services.

Figura said drawing attention to mental health awareness begins with promoting the county’s Care and Crisis Helpline (585) 283-5200 and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988. Both the local and National helpline are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

“The Care & Crisis Helpline and 988 are just a phone call away when we find ourselves, a family member, neighbor, or friend experiencing emotional distress whether its depression, anxiety, substance abuse, trauma or any other need that may be interfering with emotional wellbeing,” said Figura. “We want the people to know they are not alone.”

Figura said locally in Orleans County, there are many mental health supports and resources available to the residents of Orleans County. “These programs and services exist to support individuals and their families so if you feel you or someone you know may need assistance, please reach out to these resources for information and support.”

In collaboration with the Genesee/Orleans Health Department, Orleans County launched the Credible Mind Online Platform in 2026. This online self-directed learning and resource platform allows individuals to explore opportunities to improve their overall wellbeing, but specifically provides online education, support, and resource referrals to promote someone’s mental health wellness. Orleans County residents can access this resource at https://genesee-orleansny.crediblemind.com/

Orleans County Mental Health Department (click here)

New York State Office of Mental Health Licensed Article 31 Outpatient Clinic Treatment Programs offering individual therapy, family therapy, couples therapy and psychiatric services (to include psychiatric evaluation, psychiatric monitoring, and pharmacology). Open Access Hours for New Clients are Monday – Friday at 12:30 p.m.
New York State Office of Mental Health Licensed Article 31 Outpatient Clinic Satellite Sites at UConnect Care and Orleans County School Districts offering individual therapy at those host locations.
Health Home Care Management Programs serving both youths and adults. A program under New York State Department of Health, which looks to connect individuals to additional supports and resources to promote overall physical and emotional health wellness.

Crisis Supports & Resources

The Care & Crisis Helpline (585) 283-5200 serving Orleans County residents for any immediate mental health crisis needs 24 hrs/day, 7 days/wk, 365 days/year.
988” National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or Text 988, Connect via chat at 988Lifeline.org or visit 988Lifeline.org for more resources.
Rochester Psychiatric Center MIT Team (mobile integration team) – Serves Adults only and is available Monday – Friday during business hours. Providing in home, community-based assessments, outreach and engagement efforts. Requests for the RPC MIT Team can be made through the Care & Crisis Helpline at (585) 283-5200.

Additional Programs & Resources

Mental Health Association of Genesee & Orleans Counties. Serving adults in Orleans County, through programs to include the Warm Line, Transportation, and Drop-In-Center https://mhago.org/
Oak Orchard Health https://oakorchardhealth.org/

Data center doesn’t provide enough jobs, benefit to compensate for anguish on community

Posted 18 May 2026 at 10:40 am

Editor:

What’s the tradeoff? Are data center jobs worth the mental anguish and harm?

At each of the recent public hearings on the STREAM Data Center at STAMP, the only supporters have been a handful of union construction workers. Their support is understandable.

Large data center developers, including STREAM, promise lucrative construction jobs. But are these jobs worth it?

Around the country, workers are raising concerns about the labor practices of Apollo Global Management, the private equity firm backing STREAM. Critics have named a litany of workers’ rights violations involving Apollo-owned companies.

Additionally, research increasingly shows that data center construction and operation jobs involve serious workplace hazards, including electrical dangers, arc flash risks, excessive noise, and fall hazards.

Should communities be forced to choose between economic opportunity and protecting their land, water, health, and future? At the three public hearings on the data center proposal, opponents have presented extensive testimony and evidence from doctors, lawyers, economists, environmental experts, hydrologists, urban planners, and sound specialists bolstering their concerns with the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the proposed data center complex.

While STREAM trumpets its intent to hire “local” workers, GCEDC in fact defines local as encompassing a 14-county radius. Do the jobs promised by STREAM meaningfully follow through on GCEDC’s original promise of 9,000 jobs for the GLOW Region? We think not.

In their recent testimony and other public statements, citizens and leadership of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation, along with scores of local residents, have objected to large numbers of outside laborers benefiting from a project that has the ability to harm them and has already caused such mental anguish. They fear this monster could permanently affect their health, well being, harm the delicate local ecology, and ruin their way of life.

In addition to criticism of its labor practices, Apollo also faces mounting transparency and accountability concerns. Former CEO Leon Black was forced to resign because of his deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Now, shareholders have filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Apollo of deliberately misinforming them about the documented connections of current CEO Marc Rowan to Epstein.

For many residents, these controversies deepen concerns about placing long-term environmental and economic risks in the hands of a multinational investment firm with no connection to the community – in fact, a track record of harming local workers.

Increasingly, workers are grappling with the moral conflict – and tradeoff – of building projects meant to support their families today while fearing those same projects could create a less secure and less humane future for their children and neighbors tomorrow.

Organized labor is not the problem. Workers deserve respect, fair wages, and safe jobs. But communities also have every right to question whether massive industrial projects backed by billion-dollar corporations truly serve the public interest.

As residents and citizens of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation have urged, we ask union members and public officials alike to be good neighbors. Consider how this project would affect future generations: permanently altering the rural landscape, threatening the way of life of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation and the quality of life of local residents, and harming our irreplaceable local environment.

Kelly Hallenbeck, Bergen

Christine F. Zinni, Batavia

Richard Beatty, Batavia

RaeAnn Engler, Batavia

Universalist Society formed in Ridgeway in 1833 with church services until 1961

Posted 18 May 2026 at 9:48 am

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 13

RIDGEWAY – Our photo at top shows Fred Grey’s white horse and surrey standing south of the Universalist Church, at 3064 North Gravel Rd. in Ridgeway.

Mr. Grey was the husband of Mary Pells, a granddaughter of Seymour Murdock, an early settler and one of the founding members of this church. A sandstone stepping-stone was conveniently placed by the corner at the front of the church. Drive barns, which would have provided shelter for horses and buggies, can be seen at the rear of the church.

“We, the inhabitants of the towns of Ridgeway and Yates, at a meeting at the house of Jasper Murdock on the 14th day of December 1833, organized as the First Universalist Society of the Towns of Ridgeway and Yates.”

Seymour B. Murdock, Philo Elmer, Daniel Hunt, Samuel Bidleman and Nathan Sawyer were the trustees of this newly incorporated church. At this first organizational meeting they also voted to raise $1,000 to build a church by January 1, 1835.

Julia Perry, wife of the entrepreneurial Joseph Perry who was a postmaster, shipping agent, and owner of the hotel and tavern at Ridgeway Corners, donated the site for the new church. The site was on the west side of what is now North Gravel Road, just south of the intersection with Route 104.

Contributions were solicited and pews were auctioned to raise money for the construction. Pew prices ranged from $10 to $65, while contributions ranged from $5 to $100.

The Universalist Church at Ridgeway was dedicated in June 1835 by Rev. L.L. Sadler. Rev. Charles Hammond was the first Universalist preacher at Ridgeway. He divided his time between Ridgeway and the Universalist Church in Middleport.

Ridgeway Universalist Church in the early 1950s

This small but active congregation celebrated its centennial on December 14, 1933. But as time went by it became more difficult to find pastors. Services were discontinued in 1961 following a period of decline. The New York State Convention of Universalists took over the building in 1961 and sold it to Faith Bible Baptist Church in September 1973.

Firefighters from Ridgeway, Lyndonville and Medina battled the early morning fire at the Faith Bible Baptist Church, with assistance from East Shelby and Middleport.

On October 11, 1993, a fire of unknown origin destroyed the 160-year-old structure. In June 1994, the Middleport construction company of Barden and Robeson started construction at the site of the original church. The new 7,400 square foot Faith Bible Baptist Church was dedicated on Sunday, January 8, 1995.

Medina Mustangs FC bows at Olean

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 18 May 2026 at 9:33 am

It was a long trip to Olean Sunday as the Medina Mustangs FC dropped a 4-0 decision to the Cattaraugus County FC in a Buffalo District Soccer League Championship Division game played at St. Bonaventure.

The loss drops Medina FC, which has been short handed so fa this season, to 0-3.

The Mustangs will next face the Rance FC on May 31 at Sahlen’s Sports Park.

Wound Care Center in Medina named a ‘Center of Distinction’

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 18 May 2026 at 9:28 am

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced the Wound Care Center has been recognized by Healogics, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services, as a 2025 Center of Distinction.

To earn this designation, the Center achieved outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months, including a patient satisfaction rate of 96 percent.

“Receiving the Center of Distinction award from Healogics is an incredible honor for our team at Orleans Community Health Wound Care Center,” said Lisa Albanese Klein, program director. “This recognition reflects the dedication, compassion and clinical excellence our wound care team brings to patients every day.”

The Wound Care Center is located on the first floor of Medina Memorial Hospital and offers highly specialized wound care to patients suffering from diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, infections and other chronic wounds which have not healed in 30 days. Leading edge treatments at the Center include negative pressure wound therapy, bio-engineered tissues, biosynthetic dressings and growth factor therapies.

An award ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. June 3 at the Wound Care Center, which opened in 2020.

“In just six years, our wound care center has grown from operating two days a week to caring for patients four days a week – a reflection of both the increasing need for advanced wound care close to home and the trust our community places in us,” Albanese Klein said. “Our 96% patient satisfaction score and 82% wound mix-adjusted comprehensive healing rate demonstrate our commitment to delivering exceptional care and achieving meaningful outcomes for those we serve.”

Albanese Klein continued to say, “This award belongs to our dedicated staff members who work tirelessly to support, encourage and care for each patient throughout their healing journey. We are proud to provide high-quality wound care close to home and remain committed to improving the health and well-being of our community.”

Gas prices up another 14 cents in past week in Orleans County

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2026 at 9:03 am

Photo by Tom Rivers: The price for regular unleaded gas at the Crosby’s on Route 31 in Holley was at $4.63 on Sunday.

Gas prices took another jump this past week in Orleans County, going from an average of $4.48 a week ago for regular unleaded to $4.62 today, according to AAA. The price has now gone up nearly 27 cents in the past two weeks.

Nationally, however, the price is unchanged in the past week, remaining at an average of $4.52 a gallon, while the average price is up 2 cents state-wide to $4.61 a gallon.

The average price has topped $5 a gallon in several states: Illinois, $5.054; Nevada, $5.248; California, $6.151; Washington, $5.778; Oregon, $5.338; Alaska, $5.285; Hawaii, $5.635. The lowest average price is in Texas at $3.975.

“The national average is sitting in the same range as it was in 2022, the year that gas prices hit record highs,” AAA said in a news release this morning. “Travelers are preparing to hit the road in record numbers this week, and drivers will be facing the highest Memorial Day gas prices in four years. As of this morning, oil is trading between $106 and $111 per barrel, compared to $97 and $104 a week ago.”

The New York average for diesel fuel is $5.94, up 1 cent from last week, and up from $3.89 last year. The average national price for diesel is at $5.63, down a penny from last week, but up from $3.55 a year ago.

Here are the average prices in counties around Western New York:

Orleans, $4.618
Genesee, $4.591
Monroe, $4.583
Niagara, $4.575
Erie, $4.595
Wyoming, $4.623
Livingston, $4.588
Chautauqua, $4.623
Cattaraugus, $4.579
Allegany, $4.588

The highest price in the state is in Manhattan (New York County) at $5.022, the only county above $5. The highest in upstate is in Essex County at $4.802.

200 tackle cleanup projects in Holley for ‘Day of Impact’

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2026 at 9:57 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Jeremy Arnold and his daughter Philomena, 13, pull a long invasive vine from the bushes near a rest area along the Erie Canal in Holley.

They were among 200 volunteers for today’s “Day of Impact” led by Holley Rotary Interact and EarlyAct Clubs at the school.

There are usually about 100 volunteers for the big day in Holley of picking up trash and doing special projects. There was an even bigger response with today’s efforts dedicated in memory of Eric Fredendall, who passed away from melanoma on February 17, 2026 at age 46.

Leah Fredendall thanks the big crowd that turned out for the “Day of Caring” in honor of her late husband. Mrs. Fredendall works as an aide in the elementary school. Her husband grew up in Holley, graduated in 1997 and insisted on raising their family in the community. After serving as a combat veteran in the US Marines during the Iraq War, he worked for Stockham Lumber driving the lumber truck and making deliveries, a job he thoroughly enjoyed, his wife said.

Mr. Fredendall was an enthusiastic participant in previous “Day of Caring” events, relishing oddball items he would find as part of the litter cleanup. He once found a piece of a hot tub in the canal.

“Eric was always a hands-on, hard worker,” his wife said. “He took great pride in Holley.”

They have two children – Cole, 16; and Lauren, 14.

The people wore orange shirts today that noted it was the 2026 Day of Impact and it was dedicated in memory of Eric Fredendall.

“It means so much to all of us,” Mrs. Fredendall said about honoring her husband with today’s community service projects.

Mr. Fredendall was at last year’s event, despite being sick with cancer. He didn’t want to miss the chance to help out.

“He looked forward to it because you could accomplish something and get something done,” she said.

Holley students paint red along the curb in front of the elementary school. These students include Miori Fisher, an eighth-grader at right, and Zoey Warner, a sophomore.

Zoey said she looks forward to the “Day of Impact” every year.

“It’s a way to bring our community together,” she said.

Samantha Zelent, the Interact Club advisors, thanked the students and other volunteers for joining on the community service projects. She said the community is very supportive of the Interact Club efforts throughout the year.

The group gathered at the elementary school parking before dispersing to tackle different projects.

These Holley students washed about 200 afghan blankets that were donated when a house was cleaned out in Holley. The people who donated the afghans also gave detergent and 200 dollars in quarters to have they all cleaned at the laundromat.

The students – from left Bailey Bibbins, Nora Lindsay, Kaeleigh Eiland, Olivia Kirkpatrick and Lillian O’Brien – also folded all of the blankets.

The afghans will be donated to the VA, nursing homes, and a few organizations that work with homeless people.

Matt Campbell cleans off the memorial bricks at the military tank by the VFW. Students and volunteers did landscaping and other cleanup work by the tank. Bricks also were placed there in memory of Eric Fredendall and Mark Morreall. Morreall was very active at the VFW and American Legion. He also worked with the Interact Club last year to make the landscaping by the tank one of the projects for the “Day of Impact.”

Don Pera, a retired Holley teacher and Eric Fredendall’s uncle, holds a garbage bag while volunteers put trash in it from a field in the Holley Business Park. Eli Prior, 11, and his sister Leah, 13, were among the litter hunters. They are in Fredendall’s family.

Volunteers picked up litter along every village street and the canal towpath within the Holley school district.

This group works on cleaning up the East Avenue canal welcome spot. It was overgrown on the stone pavers and also the bushes needed to be trimmed and some nasty weeds removed. Lewanne Nettles, in front with the shovel, was among the community volunteers to helped with today’s projects. The welcome area was a new project on the list this year.

Pat Fredendall, Eric Fredendall’s mother, stopped by the canal welcome area to pass out bottles of water. She saw her granddaughter there, helping clean up the stone pavers. Lauren Fredenedall, 14, is Eric’s daughter.

Pat Fredendall said she appreciated the big turnout today from the volunteers.

“We live in a beautiful community,” she said.

Holley places memorial bricks for Eric Fredendall, Mark Morreall

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2026 at 8:32 pm

Memorial bricks placed by military tank near VFW to conclude today’s ‘Day of Impact’

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Memorial bricks were set today in honor of Eric Fredendall and Mark Morreall by the military tank by the Holley VFW, where Morreall was a long-time leader.

“These are two amazing veterans,” Interact Club advisor Samantha Zelent said about Morreall and Fredendall. “They are two very special people to the Interact Club.”

Morreall passed away at age 69 on October 29, 2025. He was a US Army veteran who also was very involved with the American Legion in Holley.

Mark Morreall’s wife Susan is joined by son Sean Morreall after they set the brick in honor of Mark Morreall.

A group gathers near the tank to see the two memorial bricks be placed in honor of Mark Morreall and Eric Fredendall.

Eric Fredendall’s children – Cole, 16, and Lauren, 14 – place a brick with their father’s name by the tank. The Vietnam War era tank has been near the VFW since 2009.

Eric Fredendall passed away February 17, 2026 at age 46 from melanoma. He was a 1997 Holley graduate who then served as a combat veteran in the US Marines during the Iraq War.

The bricks were placed to conclude today’s “Day of Impact” in Holley, where about 200 students and other community members picked up litter and tended to other special projects in Holley, including landscaping work by the tank. Today’s “Day of Impact” was also dedicated in Fredendall’s memory.

Next year more bricks honoring veterans could be added by the tank on the “Day of Impact.”

Albion will open softball sectionals at home

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 17 May 2026 at 6:55 pm

Seeded No. 8, Albion will host No. 9 Dunkirk at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the pre-quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class A2 softball playoffs.

The victor will then visit top seeded Iroquois in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Tuesday’s Class B pre-quarterfinal matchups will have No. 5 Roy-Hart hosting No. 12 Salamanca, No. 15 Medina at No. 2 Alden, No. 10 Akron at No 7 Performing Arts and No. 14 Newfane at No. 3 Allegany-Limestone all at 5 p.m.

In Class C both top seeded Wilson and No. 2 Barker have drawn first round byes.

On Thursday at 5 p.m., Wilson will host the winner of Tuesday’s No. 9 Portville vs. No. 8 Gowanda game and Barker will host the winner of the No. 10 Westfield vs. No. 7 Silver Creek contest.

‘Kindness Crew’ paints Medina park bathrooms, welcome message at Canal Basin

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2026 at 5:55 pm

Provided photos

MEDINA – Jill Kelly, Julie Maryjanowski and about 20 members of the “Kindness Crew” were busy today painting a welcome message at the Medina Canal Basin and the bathrooms at Butts Park and State Street Park.

They also painted a few hydrants in the State Street area.

The basin wall got a major overhaul with paint and a message welcoming people to Medina.

Volunteers also painted the building at State Street Park and the bathrooms at Butts.

Mayor Debbie Padoleski said she appreciates the crew volunteering to help the community. Many of the volunteers aren’t even village residents, Padoleski said.

Some of the volunteers enjoy fellowship and some refreshments in the Canal Basin.

Warm weather finally arrives in Orleans County

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2026 at 2:38 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – High temperatures have finally reached Orleans County with a high of 78 today, followed by 89 Monday by Tuesday by 88.

These two friends from Clarendon were fishing this morning from a new dock at Holley’s Canal Park. Rick Meise, left, and Terry Cassey said the fish were biting. They caught a bass, catfish, rock bass and perch, and saw a lot of water snakes.

“They were soaking up the sun,” Cassey said about the snakes.

Holley soon will be installing a new kayak launch by the new dock.

After a warm few days the highs will drop later in the week to 62 on Wednesday, 57 on Thursday, 65 on Friday and 68 on Saturday, according to the national Weather Service in Buffalo.

High school sports regular season concludes, sectional competition begins this week

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 17 May 2026 at 1:25 pm

The local high school sports scene will see the wrap-up of the regular season and the start of sectional competition this coming week.

Monday will be the last full day of the regular season.

Monday’s baseball action will have Medina at Nichols (5:45 p.m.), Lyndonville at Oakfield-Alabama (5 p.m.) and Byron-Bergen at Kendall (5 p.m.).

Softball competition will have Lyndonville playing a doubleheader at Elba as the Lady Tigers will face Elba at 4:30 p.m. and Notre Dame at 6:30 p.m. Kendall will also visit Aquinas at 5 p.m.

Tennis matches will have Medina vs. Newfane and Roy-Hart vs. Barker at 4:15 p.m.

The Medina lacrosse squad will visit Starpoint at 7:30 p.m.

The annual Niagara-Orleans All League track meet will be held at Wilson at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Section V baseball and softball seeding meetings will be held on Tuesday. The Section VI baseball seeding meeting will be held on Thursday while the softball meeting is scheduled for today.

Albion Midget League opens 70th season

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 17 May 2026 at 9:39 am

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – The Albion Midget League opened its milestone 70th season on Saturday. The openers included a narrow last inning 4-3 win by Sandstone over visitng Barre. Shown here in action are the starting pitchers, Nikko Russo for Sandstone and Hudson Armer for Barre who both registered 11 strikeouts. In other games reported Hamlin edged Holley 5-3 , Elba 1 downed Elba 2 10-4 and Brockport 2 defeated Brockport 1 4-2.

Cobblestone Museum’s annual fundraising dinner nets about $30K for organization

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 17 May 2026 at 9:30 am

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Chris Capurso, left, and Mollie Radzinski show the audience a quilt being auctioned off during the live auction at Wednesday’s Membership Fundraising Dinner to benefit the Cobblestone Society. (Right) Doris Antinore of Albion, a regular supporter of the Cobblestone Museum, sits with some of the items she bought and won at the annual membership dinner Wednesday at Carlton Recreation Hall.

CARLTON – The eighth annual Membership Fundraising Dinner to benefit the Cobblestone Society and Museum was a resounding success, according to director Doug Farley.

“As people understand our goal, this gets better every year,” Farley said. “We had close to 100 people who donated items for our auctions and raffle. This fundraiser helps keep our operation going.”

Approximately 100 people attended the event Wednesday night at the Carlton Recreation Hall.

Larry Albanese filled in as auctioneer in the absence of Randy Bower, who was unable to attend. This was Albanese’s first attempt at auctioneering, he said.

The evening featured an early bird raffle for prizes for those who purchased their tickets on or before March 31, a money tree raffle, split club, basket raffle, live auction and silent auction. Early bird winners were Kathleen Smith, Larry Albanese, Marcia Graczyk, Ann Czajkowski and Gene Graczyk.

Donated prizes included everything from handcrafted jewelry, a quilt made by Brenda Radzinski and lunch for 10 at the Vagg House, to a new grill, smart TV and 30-gallon ceramic crock.

Gail Johnson has been chair of the fundraising dinner for all eight years.

“Even though the Membership Dinner is a fundraiser, I like to think that our members get together primarily to socialize and have a good time,” Johnson said. “This year our event netted $30,821. This is due to a large part to our sustaining members – Bronze ($250), Silver ($500), Gold ($1,000) and Diamond ($2,500).”

(Left) Doug Farley, director of the Cobblestone Society and Museum, welcomes the crowd to the annual Membership Fundraising Dinner Wednesday at Carlton Recreation Hall. At rear, Larry Albanese, who filled in as auctioneer, chats with guest Delbert Young of Medina. (Right) Chris Capurso sits in an antique rocking chair, which was donated for the Cobblestone Society’s annual fundraising dinner Wednesday at Carlton Recreation Hall. She is demonstrating how ladies could sit and knit or crochet without any arms in the way.